Experience Local Food In Vietnam

One of the most incredible ways to experience a new city is through the local food. So naturally, during my most recent travels through Southeast Asia, I found myself eating my way through the beautiful cities of Vietnam. My trip began in the wonderful city of Hanoi, more specifically at Highway 4 Restaurant. Highway 4 is a restaurant that focuses on environmentally friendly practices and offers a variety of Vietnamese dishes. Each dish I ordered was absolutely incredible and needless to say, I ate there two more times before leaving Hanoi.

After conquering Highway 4 I was ready to navigate the local street food scene. It seemed only right that I begin with one of the most popular and well-known Vietnamese dishes, Pho. Being a vegetarian I was a bit apprehensive that meatless Pho might not be a thing, but luckily I was able to find a restaurant willing to whip up a delicious bowl of vegetarian Pho.

Although I’m always eager to try local food, my trip to Hanoi would have not been complete without a stop (or two) at Zenith Yoga Studio. I wandered over to Zenith for a vinyasa yoga class and was pleasantly surprised that the building also housed a vegan café. The menu boasted an array of green juices, vegetable dishes and vegan cookies! The food was incredibly fresh and tasted like home.

In Ho Chi Minh, one of Vietnam’s much larger and daunting cities, my taste buds continued to be impressed by more mouth-watering experiences. As soon as I arrived, my friends and I arranged to take a Vietnamese cooking class. Chef Vu, our teacher for the day showed us the proper to way to cut garlic and lemongrass, fry a Vietnamese pancake and create instagram worthy dishes. The class was wonderful and the food absolutely delicious!

If you get the chance to spend a few days in Vietnam, check out the museums, temples and parks…but definitely be sure to eat plenty of food!